Interlocking figures for a chess set

ABSTRACT

Interlocking figures for a chess set, which comprises six component basic figures each having a general shape of a quadrangular prism and each being of a different configuration including gaps and projections, respectively, thereby providing a male-female coupling between adjacent figures. All figures form in assembled position a final cubical body, which defines a lower part and an upper part. The lower part of the body includes two pieces constituting kings and two pieces constituting queens, the two kings and the two queens having parallel side faces to form a square at their base, and being coupled together. Each of the kings faces the other in opposite vertices, and each of the queens faces the other in opposite vertices, four pieces constituting bishops and four pieces constituting rooks, are provided. All pieces are fitted into the faces of the square four additional pieces constitute knights and each of the last mentioned pieces are disposed at the vertices between the rook and the bishop. The upper part includes pieces to constitute pawns and has two floors joined to each other on horizontal faces thereof and forms a prismatic block joined to the lower part by means of projections and gaps, respectively, disposed in opposite faces of the parts.

United States Patent [191 Soubrier [4 1 Apr. 2, 1974 [75] Inventor: Juan Gomez Soubrier, Madrid,

Spain [73] Assignee: Regalas, Promaciones Gervicios,

S.A., Madrid, Spain 22 Filed: Feb. 20, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 334,081

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 6, 1972 Spain 179078 [52] US. Cl. 273/137 R, 273/160 [51] Int. Cl A631 3/02, A63f 9/12 [58] Field of Search 273/137 R, 137 A, 137 AB, 273/137 AB, 137 AC, 137 W, 160; D34/5 CH OTHER PUBLICATIONS Home Furnishing, Vol. 40, No. 89, May 6, 19687 Primary ExaminerAnton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Paul E. Shapiro Attorney, Agent, or FirmErnest G. Montague {57] ABSTRACT Interlocking figures for a chess set, which comprises six component basic figures each having a general shape of a quadrangular prism andeach being of a different configuration including gaps and projections, respectively, thereby providing a male-female coupling between adjacent figures. All figures form in assembled position a final cubical body, which defines a lower part and an upper part. The lower part of the body includes two pieces constituting kings and two pieces constituting queens, the two kings and the two queens having parallel side faces to form a square at their base, and being coupled together. Each of the kings faces the other in opposite vertices, and each of the queens faces the other in opposite vertices, four pieces constituting bishops and four pieces constituting rooks, are provided. All pieces are fitted into the faces of the square four additional pieces constitute knights and each of the last mentioned pieces are disposed at the vertices between the rook and the bishop, The upper part includes pieces to constitute pawns and has two floors joined to each other on horizontal faces thereof and forms a prismatic block joined to the lower part by means of projections and gaps, respectively, disposed in opposite faces of the parts.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures INTERLOCKING FIGURES FOR A CHESS SET The present invention relates to interlocking figures for a chess set, namely a chess set whose figures, once used. are capable of forming a unit.

It is one object of the present invention to provide interlocking figures for a chess set having a peculiar design of the pieces which make up the game without modifying in any way the standards of the game. The pieces have a great plastic richness with the addition that the entirety of its elements can be interlocked, thereby obtaining a cubic volume.

It is another object of the present invention to provide interlocking figures for a chess set, which, consists of two groups, identical in their shape but not in their color. Each one of the two groups has sixteen pieces, constituting the basis of the game, namely eight pawns, two rooks, two bishops, two knights, one queen and one king, for a total of thirtytwo pieces. With these and other objects in view which will become apparent in the detailed specification, the present invention, which is shown by example only, will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled group;

FIG. 2 is a view of the piece corresponding to the king;

FIG. 3 is a queen;

FIG. 4 is a rook;

FIG. 5 is a knight;

FIG. 6 is a bishop; and

FIG. 7 is a pawn.

Referring now to the drawings,

Piece -A-, which represents in FIG. 2 the king, is prismatic with five units of height 1 by one and a half units of the length of one of its sides of its square base 2 and is formed of three parts: namely a prismatic base with a height of one-half unit and a length of one and a half for its square base; a cubic neck with a side length of one-half unit placed in the center of the base whose side faces are parallel to those of the base and from which four prismatic bodies 3 project with a length of one unit,jutting out with relation to the base four cubes measuring half a unit on the edge; and a body with a height of four units and a length of one and a half units for each side of its square base. The body consists of a prismatic shape 4 with vertical faces parallel to those of the base with a height of three units by one and a half units in its base placed in a centered position over the cubical neck, and of a smaller prismatic shape 5 placed over the first in the center of its upper face and with vertical faces parallel to the similar ones of the rest of the piece with a height of one unit and a length of a half unit for each side of its square base.

Piece -B- which represents in FIG. 3 the queen likewise having a prismatic shape with a height of five units 6 by one and a half units for its base side 7 and is formed by three parts: namely a prismatic base with a height of one-half unit by a base length of one and a half units; a cubical neck 8 measuring one-half unit on each edge placed in the center of the base, whose side faces are parallel to those of the base; and a body 9 of view of the piece corresponding to the view of the piece corresponding to the view of the piece corresponding to the view of the piece corresponding to the view of the piece corresponding to the four units of height by one and a half units of length of each side of its base. The body has four gaps 10 made in the middle of each of its vertical faces with the faces of the gaps being parallel to the faces of the rest of the piece and with a height of three units from the lower base of this body. The gaps each have a horizontal section of half a unit by a quarter of a unit; the smaller measurement corresponds to the depth of the gap in the body; the vertical faces of the gap are parallel to all of the similar faces. A prismatic shape 1 1 completes the whole of this body which has faces parallel to those of the rest and is situated in the center of the upper part with a height of one unit and a square base with a side length of one-half unit.

Piece C, which represents in FIG. 4 the rooks, is prismatic with a height of four units 12 and a base length of one and a half units 13. It is formed by three parts: namely a base with a height of one-half unit and a side length of one and a half units; a cubical neck 14 with a length of a one-half unit for each edge, placed in the center of the base, whose side faces are parallel to those of the base; and a body 15 with a height of three units and a length of one and a half units for each side, placed in the center of the base with its own base being likewise square. In the upper part of the body, there are four prismatic gaps l6 situated at the four corners of the piece in a vertical direction, whose sides are parallel to those of the piece, with a length of one unit and a length of one-half unit for each side of its base. A cubical gap 17 completes the body of the piece with faces parallel to those of the piece and each edge measuring one-half unit and is situated in the center of the upper face.

Piece D, is a knight shown in FIG. 5 with a height of four units 18 and a side length for its base 19 of one and a half units, is formed by three pieces or parts: the prismatic base with a height of one-half unit and a side length for its base of one and a half units; a prismatic neck 20, serving as a connection with the same dimensions as the base and placed on the base with its vertical faces parallel to those of the base and displaced toward one of the points or corners of the base diagonally, so that an overhang 21 juts out over two vertical faces of the base; and a body 22 with a height of three units and a side length for its base of one and a half units. This body has a prismatic gap 23 made through its entire length with a total height of three units and a base half a unit long situated on one of the points or corners of the piece and vertical faces parallel to those of the rest of the parts. In the faces unaffected by the gap and in all their extension, appears another longitudinal gap 24 with a vertical base with a depth of one-half unit and penetrating one-half unit in the body and situated one unit from the upper base of the piece. The whole of the body is completed by a cubical gap 25 with faces parallel to those of the other parts, measuring one-half unit on each edge and located in the center of the upper face. This piece represents the knight.

The bishop E, disclosed in FIG. 6, is a piece with a height of four units 26 and a side length of one and a half units for its base 27, and is formed by three parts: a prismatic base with a height of one-half unit and a side length for its base of one and a half units; a cubical neck 28 with a length of one-half unit for each side the side faces of which are parallel to those of the base; and a body 29 with a height of three units and a side length for its base of one and a half units. The body is made of two parts, a lower, cubical one 3 measuring one and a half units on the edge, and another higher prismatic one 31, with a height of one unit and a side length of its base of one and a half units. They are both placed with their faces parallel to those of the rest of the piece are joined by a cubical part 32 measuring one-half unit on each edge and situated between both in the center and with its faces parallel to the similar faces of the piece. The whole of the piece is completed by a cubical gap in the upper part of the piece, situated in the center and with the faces parallel to those of the rest of the piece and measuring one-half unit on each edge.

Finally, the pawns F, disclosed in FIG. 1, are prismatic pieces with a height of three units 34 and with a side length of one and a half units for its base 35 and have in their upper part and situated in the center of it, with vertical faces parallel to those of the rest of the piece, a small cube 36 measuring one-half on each edge. Not counting the cube, the general body of the piece is reduced to a height of three units with a side length for its base of one and a half units. Also, on two opposite vertical faces and over all their extension, there are two prismatic gaps 37, with horizontal faces parallel to those of the rest of the piece, and with a distance of one unit from the upper and lower bases, respectively, of the general body. On the face on which the gap has been made one-half unit from the upper base, there is a cubical prominence 38, with faces parallel to those of the rest of the piece and measuring one-half unit on each edge, placed one-half unit from the lower base and an equal distance from the vertical edges which limit said face.

The grouping of the pieces described is done in two groups: an upper one which contains the sixteen pawns; and a lower one which carries the rest of the pieces-- -thus resulting in a cubical body all-together (FIGJ).

The composition of the base or lower part is produced by means of the two kings and the two queens which are coupled together with their side faces parallel, thus forming a square at the base. The kings A and the queens B are found in opposite vertices respectively, i.e., each queen B is in an opposite comer with regard to the other queen and, likewise, each king A is in an opposite corner with regard to the other king A. On this square on its faces the four bishops E and the four rooks C are supported in such a way that the pieces alternate. On the vertices the four knights D will be situated one by one between rook C and bishop E, being joined to them and the square formed by kings A and queens B by means of their bodies that jut out. All the previously indicated pieces, knights D, bishops E and rocks C, maintain the unchanging condition that all their vertical faces are parallel with regard to each other and to those of the kings A and queens B.

The upper part is composed of all sixteen pawns F which will be joined to the lower combination. This part consists of two equal floors joined one to the other on their horizontal faces and forms a prismatic block which will be joined to the lower one, already explained, by means of the projections and gaps which appear in the two opposite faces. It makes up with eight pieces, for one of the floors, four equal pairs joined two by two by their un-slotted side faces, all the projections will be in the lower part and in a side part. Later, two independent rectangulars will be formed by four pawns F each in such a way that the longitudinal axes of each small square two pawnsF-are perpendicular. The last movement consists of the side joining of these two rectangles thus forming a square combination of eight pawns F.

The form, materials and dimensions can be varied, and generally, as much as may be accessory and secondary, provided that its characteristic features are not altered, changed or modified.

While I have disclosed, one embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood, that these embodiments are given by example only and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. Interlocking figures for a chess set, comprising six component basic figures each having a general shape of a quadrangular prism and each being of a different configuration including gaps and projections, respectively, thereby providing a malefemale coupling between adjacent figures,

all said figures forming in assembled position a final cubical body,

said cubical body defining a lower part and an upper part,

said lower part of said body including two pieces constituting kings and two pieces constituting queens, said two kings and said two queens having parallel side faces to form a square at their base, and being coupled together,

each of said kings facing the other in opposite vertices, and each of said queens facing the other in opposite vertices,

four pieces to constitute bishops and four pieces to constitute rooks, all said pieces being fitted into the faces of said square,

four additional pieces to constitute knights and each of said last mentioned pieces being disposed at said vertices between said rook and said bishop, and said upper part including pieces to constitute pawns and having two floors joined to each other on horizontal faces thereof and forming a prismatic block joined to said lower part by means of projections and gaps, respectively, disposed in opposite faces of said parts.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 3,801 ,105 Dated April. 2, 1974 Patent No.

4 Juan (lomoz Souhr'ior lnvcntofls) M U V W v I a It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

The Assignee should read Regalos, Promociones Y Servi cios, S.A.

Signed and sealed this 24th day of Settember 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON JR. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-1050 (10-69) uscoMM-Dc 60376-P69 U.$. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I9" 0-366-33. 

1. Interlocking figures for a chess set, comprising six component basic figures each having a general shape of a quadrangular prism and each being of a different configuration including gaps and projections, respectively, thereby providing a male-female coupling between adjacent figures, all said figures forming in assembled position a final cubical body, said cubical body defining a lower part and an upper part, said lower part of said body including two pieces constituting kings and two pieces constituting queens, said two kings and said two queens having parallel side faces to form a square at their base, and being coupled together, each of said kings facing the other in opposite vertices, and each of said queens facing the other in opposite vertices, four pieces to constitute bishops and four pieces to constitute rooks, all said pieces being fitted into the faces of said square, four additional pieces to constitute knights and each of said last mentioned pieces being disposed at said vertices between said rook and said bishop, and said upper part including pieces to constitute pawns and having two floors joined to each other on horizontal faces thereof and forming a prismatic block joined to said lower part by means of projections and gaps, respectively, disposed in opposite faces of said parts. 